Apple has been rather busy of late, despite the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Just last month it released updates to iPad Pro and MacBook Air, while this month we got the much-anticipated 2nd-generation iPhone SE in addition to a fancy new Magic Keyboard.
But what does Apple have planned for the next 12 months? An anonymous Twitter user, perhaps an Apple employee or somebody with links to one, claims to have the answers – and they have a pretty decent track record of accurate leaks to back it up.
The Chinese account @L0vetodream has been posting strangely formatted and often cryptic messages about Apple for the last two months. But despite the strange obsession with dreams, the account correctly predicted details and release dates for iPhone SE, iPad Pro, and iOS 13.4.
So, while not fully convinced, we are definitely listening. Here’s what @L0vetodream believes Apple has in store for 2020 and beyond.
iPad Air with new Touch ID
A new iPad Air is inevitable – but what’s interesting is the suggestion that the next iteration of Apple’s entry-level tablet will go full screen with no notch, embedding Touch ID sensors under the display. This is a technology that has alluded Apple for a while and could impact on future iPhone designs if true.
iPhone SE Plus coming next year
Apple has only just released its updated iPhone SE, using the same 4.7-inch casing design as the iPhone 8. But according to this leaker, there’s a larger version of the budget handset coming in 2021, utilizing – you guessed it – the 5.5-inch screen from the iPhone 8 Plus. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard such a rumor.
Game controller for Apple Arcade
The account expects Apple to release a first-party Bluetooth game controller to support the expansion of Apple Arcade as an essential component of its services sector. Many Apple Arcade games are already compatible with Xbox and Playstation gamepads, but a home-grown solution would be very interesting. This is apparently in the pipeline for “this or next year.”
iPhone to go completely wireless
Is the Lightning connector on its way out? @L0vetodream believes Apple’s ultimate goal is for a fully wireless iPhone design, with no plans to adopt the USB-C connector used by iPad and MacBook in the meantime. Instead, its wireless charging capabilities will be improved for faster charging. How soon we might see this is still anybody’s guess, though.
ARM-based 12-inch Macbook
This could be the year we see the Mac line adopt the ARM-based processors used in the iPhone and iPad. These chips are designed in-house by Apple and would replace the Intel chips used in Macs since 2006, freeing Apple from reliance on another company for such an essential component. ARM chips are more power-efficient for everyday use.
Anything else?
Those are the big takeaways covered, but that’s not all. The leaker also released a huge list of products it expects to be released in the upcoming year. That includes AirPods X, HomePod Lite, AirTag (a Tile-like Bluetooth tracker), and four variants of iPhone 12 featuring 5G compatibility as standard.
Of course, take all this with a grain of salt – but most of the predictions seem well within the realms of possibility and we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see some of these products hit the shelves in 2020.